spiritual traditions
The Spiritual Significance Of 666
The number 666 is undoubtedly the most controversial and misinterpreted number in spirituality.
Mostly shrouded in superstition and fear due to its portrayal in popular culture, based on its famous reference as the “number of the beast” in the Bible’s Book of Revelation, this enigmatic number actually carries a depth of spiritual significance and symbolism that goes far beyond its ominous reputation.
By delving into the true symbolism of this number sequence, we can uncover the profound messages and transformative potential it holds. Far from being a mere harbinger of evil and doom, 666 challenges us to integrate spiritual awareness and higher consciousness into our everyday lives, illuminating a path toward harmony, wisdom and enlightenment.
In numerology, for example, the number 6 is associated with balance, harmony and personal responsibility. It known as the “mother” of all numbers and symbolizes domesticity, love of home and family, and a nurturing, caring energy. Its energy promotes compassion and selflessness for the benefit of others.
The sequence 666 is a reminder to balance the material and spiritual aspects of life, encouraging self-reflection and aligning one’s actions with one’s higher self.
In Tarot, the number 6 is represented by the card The Lovers. This card symbolizes love, harmony, and the choices one must make to achieve balance in relationships. It emphasizes unity within oneself and with others, and the need for deeper introspection and harmonization of opposing forces.
Inner Journey To The Mystical Isle Of Avalon
Sometimes when the pressures and demands of modern life become too much, I retreat to one of my favorite places in the universe: the mythical island of Avalon.
This legendary island of Celtic mythology is steeped in legends of healing, psychic learning, sacred crafting, and the life and times of King Arthur. Its name translates as “Isle of Apples,” emphasizing its association with fertility, abundance, and otherworldly beauty.
In folklore, Avalon, or Insula Avallonis, was a sanctuary of deep spiritual and psychic knowledge and was known as a training ground for pagan priestesses dedicated to the Great Mother Goddess. These women dedicated their lives to spirituality, honing their skills in clairvoyance, herbalism, weaving, and deep devotion to the Divine Feminine.
But Avalon was not only a sanctuary for women. Men were also an integral part of its story. Merlin the magician is inextricably linked to the history of the island, having trained the young Arthur there for his kingship.
Avalon is also entwined with many other tales woven through the lives of King Arthur, Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, Merlin, Nimue (the Lady of the Lake), and others. Legend also has it that King Arthur was brought to Avalon by his half-sister, Morgan le Fay, to heal after being badly wounded in battle.
The question of whether Avalon really existed straddles the line between myth and reality. Some historians and researchers speculate that Avalon may be based on a real place. Glastonbury, England, is often associated with Avalon because of its mystical aura and ties to Arthurian legend.
The Spiritual Implications Of The Lazarus Syndrome
Recently, while watching the 2008 film The Lazarus Project, I was reminded of the paranormal phenomenon of near-death experiences (NDEs) and became intrigued by the possibility of someone coming back to life after death.
The plot of the movie is about a man who is given a second chance at life after being executed for a crime. Despite being lethally injected, he somehow wakes up in a psychiatric hospital and must overcome a series of mysterious and mystical challenges to be reunited with his family.
The title, of course, refers to the story in John 11 of a man named Lazarus who was raised from the dead by Jesus after four days. While the plot of the movie does not directly parallel the biblical story, it does draw on the themes of resurrection and second chances.
My newfound curiosity soon led me to discover a documented medical phenomenon known as “Lazarus Syndrome.” Also known as the “Lazarus phenomenon” or “autoresuscitation,” it is a rare medical condition in which a person spontaneously comes back to life after all attempts at resuscitation have failed and the person has been pronounced dead.
The phenomenon was first noted in medical literature in 1982 by Finnish anesthesiologist Dr. Kalevi Linko, who described it as the spontaneous return of circulation after resuscitation efforts have ceased. The term “Lazarus phenomenon” was later popularized by Dr. John Francis Bray in 1993, who used the biblical reference to describe these rare cases of patients who spontaneously return to life.
Breaking Through The Walls Of Disconnection
Have you felt like you have been talking to brick walls in your relationships lately? If so, rest assured that you are not alone! This issue has been coming up more and more in my readings. Many of my clients complain that they feel like they are not being heard or that they are simply not getting through to people.
Many factors contribute to this feeling. With so many of us addicted to our phones and social media, it’s become very easy to be physically present but mentally elsewhere. This often makes any attempt to have a meaningful conversation feel like it’s taking place in an echo chamber.
We are surrounded by so many distractions these days — constant notifications, endless scrolling, and click-bait videos that often prioritize drama and misinformation over truth and depth. These distractions pull our attention away from what really matters: meaningful connection, both with others and with ourselves.
Modern life is busy and demanding. People are constantly juggling many responsibilities and stresses, and often feel drained or overwhelmed. Many of us rarely have the emotional bandwidth to fully engage in meaningful conversations.
On top of that, people are less likely to have face-to-face conversations, or at least make a phone call, as most communication these days takes place via text messages and social media comments. As a result, there is a growing lack of communication skills and many misunderstandings occur because people have difficulty expressing themselves clearly or actively listening when they are actually having a conversation in person.
Forgiving Yourself Is A Spiritual Necessity
Self-forgiveness is more than just a mental health recommendation – it is a spiritual necessity. It is vital for the spiritually aware person to release guilt, self-blame, and self-criticism, because forgiving oneself is crucial to both personal well-being and spiritual progress. It allows for healing, growth, and the ability to live a more fulfilling and harmonious life.
Failure to forgive ourselves can have profound personal and spiritual side effects. Carrying guilt and self-blame leads to chronic emotional distress and contributes to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Over time, this can manifest itself in physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or even chronic illness.
A lack of self-forgiveness undermines self-worth and hinders personal growth and development. Difficulty forgiving yourself also strains your relationships with others, as it can lead to withdrawal, defensiveness, or projecting negativity onto those around you. Without forgiveness, our negative feelings toward ourselves can fester and damage even our most cherished relationships with our loved ones and friends.
Holding onto guilt and self-blame blocks the flow of positive energy through the chakras and hinders spiritual well-being. For example, guilt often stagnates in the solar plexus chakra, affecting one’s sense of personal power. Self-forgiveness is essential for clearing such blockages in the energy field.
Forgiveness is also essential to achieving inner peace and harmony. Without it, one can experience constant inner turmoil and restlessness. When we hold onto guilt, shame, or self-blame, parts of our spiritual essence or inner divinity are suppressed or disconnected. It causes separation from one’s spiritual path or a sense of disconnection from spirit and the divine.
Seeing The Spiritual Essence In Others
My world was turned upside down when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. For seven agonizing months in 2005, I became his caregiver, managing the extreme emotional and physical toll of his illness.
Even the hospice staff, experienced in end-of-life care, commented at the time that my father was not an easy patient to care for. Their observation confirmed my own feelings on the matter and highlighted the unique challenges of the difficult karmic relationship I had with my father.
Throughout this stressful time, I held out hope for a miracle. I felt compelled to seek guidance, but unfortunately Spirit revealed a timeline of six to twelve months. This devastated me at the time, but I’ve since come to accept that arrivals and departures are part of every soul’s journey. Spirit was simply confirming a poignant truth: at some point we are all called home to the spirit realm.
Despite his resistance to any form of treatment, my father allowed a trusted colleague of mine, a master in his healing modality, to visit our home weekly for body alignment sessions. These sessions became a turning point — not only for my father, but for me as well.
During their second session, my healer friend shared an observation that struck a deep chord. He sensed an immense amount of bitterness and resentment in my father, energies he had perceived without any prior knowledge of my father’s emotional state or life history. He then offered me a piece of wisdom that changed the way I viewed not only my father, but all of my relationships: “Try to see only the true spiritual essence that is your father.”
How To Deal With Negativity And Toxic Drama
Many people today feel overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, fearful. This is especially evident online in the social media landscape. Unfortunately, too often this leads to attacks on others, including innocent people and companies.
It can be challenging to know how best to deal with all this toxic negativity. I believe it’s best to approach this issue spiritually, from a metaphysical or energetic standpoint.
Energy, whether positive or negative, grows when we feed it. Consider a plant: in order to thrive, it needs water, sunlight, and nutrients from the earth. If neglected, it will wither. The same principle applies to our interactions with the world around us: by paying attention to something, we feed it with our energy.
This is crucial to remember when dealing with any kind of negativity, both online and in person. To thrive energetically, we must be selective about who and what we pay attention to.
Huna, an ancient Hawaiian spiritual tradition, teaches that energy flows where attention goes. Every time we choose where to direct our energy, we’re making an active choice about what we want to grow in our lives. When we respond to negativity – whether with anger, defensiveness, or frustration – we end up reinforcing the very things we want to avoid. To maintain peace and harmony, huna advises focusing on positive intentions and constructive energy.
By giving toxic energy thieves our attention, we allow their negaivity to take root in our hearts and minds. Feeding negativity or drama only strengthens it, which ultimately affects our own well-being. When we consciously choose to withdraw our energy from negative influences and redirect it to uplifting and positive areas, we create an environment where peace and growth can flourish.